


Keeping Promises

by whiskeyandlonging



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Anxious Reader, College AU, F/M, Flirting, Modern Era, Needles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22743739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskeyandlonging/pseuds/whiskeyandlonging
Summary: College AU. Your anxiety has been nearly unbearable since you promised Uhura you’d get a flu shot at the campus clinic, but an unexpected turn of events eases your fear.
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader
Kudos: 86





	Keeping Promises

“Be sure to get here ten minutes early next class; the exam will start promptly at 4. Class dismissed.”

The rustling of backpacks and din of conversation faded into the background as you exited the illiberalism seminar. You couldn’t wait for that course to end. It had incredible potential, but the professor had a way of making the material feel dry and bland class after class. It was one of two seminars required for international relations majors; you could only hope that the next one would be more interesting.

Once outside, you set course for the main dining hall. It had become routine to grab dinner with your roommates before they headed back to the dorm and you headed to your last class of the day. You spent a minute searching the grounds outside the dining hall, looking for either of your roommates.

“Y/N!” You whipped around at the sound of your name and smiled. Nyota returned your grin and pulled her hair up into a ponytail while she waited for you. “Carol’s already inside,” she said as she fell into step beside you.

A few minutes later, you and Nyota set your respective plates down at the table Carol had saved. “Good evening, ladies,” she said in her crisp accent as her eyes twinkled. “How was your Thursday?”

The three of you chatted comfortably for the better part of an hour, and you felt the tension from your day ease as your friends laughed and commiserated with you.

“So, Y/N, how’d it go?” You frowned, confused. “The clinic?”

You groaned. “Shit, Ny. I forgot, I’m sorry.”

Nyota rolled her eyes. “You’ve forgotten for almost two weeks, now.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong. You had forgotten several times over the last two weeks. But other days, you simply hadn’t gone even when you remembered.

“Tomorrow’s the last day they’re doing free flu shots. I can’t afford to get sick this semester, none of us can.” Her eyes were pleading.

“One of Christine’s professors told the class this year’s flu is particularly dangerous. It’s probably best we all get the vaccine,” Carol added.

You nodded. “I know. I’ll go tomorrow, I promise.” Nyota relaxed a bit at that, and moved on to a new topic of conversation. You listened to her talk about her advanced linguistics course while Carol bemoaned the mechanical engineering exam she had the next morning. You tried to follow their conversation, but the anxiety you felt had begun prickling uncomfortably through your body. Unable to sit still any longer, you made a show of checking the time on your phone before pushing your chair back, pulling their attention.

“I’ve gotta go,” you announced. “I’m going to be late for my lab. I’ll see you guys later.” You stood fluidly and tried to smile before hurrying from the dining hall.

Your lab wasn’t actually for another twenty minutes, but you couldn’t stand to sit there another minute. You meandered through the center of campus, your mind spinning and heart racing as you thought back to the conversation you’d just had. There was no getting out of it now - the clinic ended tomorrow, and you’d made a promise to Nyota. 

In the three years you’d lived together, Nyota had been the perfect roommate and an even better friend. This favor was the least you could do for her. You sighed heavily.

The clocktower chimed suddenly, pulling you from your reverie. You started and glanced at the time.

Shit.

You swore under your breath and hurried to the astronomy classroom.

As you reached the door to the class, you closed your eyes and prayed the straight-laced TA wouldn’t call you out on your tardiness. You pressed the handle down slowly in an attempt to minimize the sound of the lock releasing, and pulled the door open.

 _Wishful thinking,_ you thought as he stopped talking, and every head in the room turned to stare at you.

“Miss Y/L/N,” he began. “Thank you for joining us. I would, however, request that you arrive on time for future classes. Take a seat.”

You flushed. “Yes, Mr. Spock.” You scanned the room for your lab partner, and hurried over to take your seat.

“Thank god,” Jim muttered when you slid in beside him. “I thought maybe you’d ditched and left me to fend for myself tonight.”

You snorted. “Like you need my help. You’re the smartest person in this class, Kirk.” Jim was on the IR track, too. You’d agreed to take astronomy together for your required science, since nothing else available to non-majors seemed remotely interesting.

“I don’t know about ‘smartest’,” he countered with a wry smile. “I think that honor belongs to you.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Is it working?”

“Never does,” you smiled back.

Half an hour later, you were reading the star coordinates you’d calculated in the first half of the lab while Jim entered them into the program.

“There’s nothing there,” he told you, leaning closer so he could look at your notes.

“What? I could have sworn – oh wait. Are we looking at Mizar or Megrez?”

“Mizar.”

“Then that needs to be 54, not 57,” you amended. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jim quickly input the correct number into the field and waited while the ancient program ran slowly. “Bingo,” he said when the star finally appeared in the viewscreen. “See? Your calculations were correct.”

You gave him a half-smile and returned your gaze to the list of equations you’d completed.

“You okay?”

You looked sideways at him, your brow furrowed. “Yeah, why?”

“You seem distracted. It’s not like you to confuse something as simple as data points.” He was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. “Are you actually okay?”

You huffed a sigh and dropped your pen. “Not exactly.”

“You wanna talk about it?” Jim’s expression was earnest, and, for half a second, you considered it. But the whole thing seemed so trivial, so dumb. In the end, you shook your head.

“It’s stupid.”

“Y/N.” Jim’s voice was gentle, and when you looked up at him, you were surprised to see nothing but warmth and kindness in his eyes. “If it’s bothering you, it isn’t stupid. If you change your mind about wanting to talk about it, let me know.”

You gave a small smile before turning to your notes and reading out the next set of coordinates.

.

.

By the time lab let out, darkness had settled outside and the temperature had dropped considerably. You walked beside Jim in amiable silence as your mind raced.

The words rushed out before you could stop yourself.

“I have to go to the flu shot clinic tomorrow.” You felt more than saw Jim look at you; you kept your eyes focused on the concrete just a few steps ahead, and continued. “Uhura’s worried that any of us getting the flu could get the others sick, and set us too far behind this semester. She and Carol already went, but I kept putting it off, and the last day of the clinic is tomorrow so…”

“Let me guess. Not a fan of needles?” Jim asked gently.

You huffed an unamused laugh. “More like a crippling phobia of them.” You ran a hand down your face. “God, I don’t want to go.”

Jim hummed pensively. “I know you’d rather not go at all, but maybe you should consider going first thing. If you get it over with, you won’t be able to worry about it all day.” He shrugged. “Just a thought.”

You nodded. “It’s a good idea. I’ll think about it.” You swiped your ID to get into the dorm and headed for the stairs with Jim following just behind. You stopped on the landing for your floor and turned to face him. “Thanks for listening. And for not teasing me about it.”

Jim ruffled your hair. “Anytime, kid. Now get some sleep, that’s an order.”

You laughed and called a goodnight over your shoulder. You slid the key into the lock on your door as quietly as possible, in case Nyota or Carol was asleep. But when you pushed the door open into the room, you were surprised to see them both sitting on the couch in the small living area. From the looks of it, Ny was quizzing Carol with flashcards. They paused when you came in.

“There she is,” Nyota said with a smile. She patted the couch beside herself. You dropped your bag with a _thud_ and collapsed onto the couch between them, utterly exhausted. “Hey,” she called softly. You hummed and opened your eyes. “I wanted to apologize to you. About earlier.” You didn’t say anything, so she continued. “I know you’re anxious about going to the clinic, and I probably haven’t been helping matters by asking every day. I shouldn’t have pushed again at dinner.”

You smiled warmly at her. “We’re good, Ny. Promise.”

For the next hour, you helped Nyota quiz Carol for her exam. When you checked the time a while later, you were surprised to see how late it had gotten. You pushed yourself to your feet and yawned through your _goodnight._

By the time you made it to your room, you were too tired to feel anxious about the next morning. Exhaustion pulled at you the moment you lay down in bed, and you gave into dreamless sleep.

.

.

The trek across campus in the crisp fall air woke you up more than a cup of coffee could. You’d debated stopping at the dining hall for a quick bite, but you hadn’t had much of an appetite, and decided to head straight to the clinic.

Presently, you were filling out forms the nurse at the desk had given you. You hoped your writing would be legible; your hands were trembling with anxiety as you sat in the chilled waiting room.

“Someone will bring you back shortly,” the nurse told you disinterestedly when you handed the clipboard back to her once you’d finished. You mumbled your thanks and took your seat.

When your name was called a few minutes later, it felt much too soon. All the same, you stood on shaky legs to follow the man back. Even with your increasing anxiety, you took a moment to appreciate how handsome he was. Late 20s, dark hair, and hazel eyes. You had to admit, the momentary distraction was nice. 

“We’ll be in room 3,” he informed you, and pointed down the hall to an open door. You nodded, not trusting your voice, and headed to the room while he grabbed your chart from the front.

In room 3, you debated whether to sit on the exam table, or remain standing. For now, you decided after several moments, standing felt like the least overwhelming option.

“Okay.” At the sound of the deep, confident voice, you turned to see the nurse come in and close the door behind himself. “Why don’t you take a seat up there for me.” He smiled warmly; you wondered if your anxiety was visible to him.

You exhaled shakily and hopped onto the bed. The crinkle of the paper beneath you did nothing to help your building anxiety. The nurse’s back was to you while he flicked through your chart, and you took a moment to admire his physique. His shoulders were broad, and even through his shirt you could tell his back was muscular.

You frowned. He was wearing jeans and a dark shirt; weren’t the nursing students meant to wear scrubs when they worked in the clinic? You supposed it didn’t really matter, and you weren’t complaining.

“Miss Y/L/N,” he began once he’d turn to face you. “I’m Leonard. How are you doing this morning?”

You shrugged nervously. “Um… fine, I guess. A bit tired.”

Leonard chuckled. “That seems to be requisite for the patients who come through here. Too many all-nighters, if you ask me.” He returned the smile you offered, and patted the exam table. “Lie down for me.”

You were a bit confused, but did as he asked. It took you a moment to get settled, but Leonard waited patiently until you were comfortable.

“I know you’re just here for a flu shot, but you look a bit peaky. I want to make sure everything’s alright,” he offered by way of explanation. You nodded and stared at the ceiling as he slipped a blood pressure cuff around your arm. The tightening of the cuff was uncomfortable, but Leonard distracted you while he waited for the reading.

“How’s this semester goin’ for you?” he asked conversationally.

“Can’t complain. Classes are interesting, for the most part.”

“What are you studying?”

“International relations with a minor in anthropology.”

Leonard’s eyebrows raised. “Impressive. IR is difficult on its own, from what I’ve heard. Can’t imagine adding a minor on top of that.” The cuff deflated, and Leonard studied the readout on the monitor and hummed. “Your blood pressure is a bit elevated, and you’re mildly tachycardic.”

Your heart pounded harder at that. “What does that mean?”

Leonard’s gaze softened when he detected the note of worry in your voice. “It means your heart rate is more than 100 beats per minute. It’s a common indicator of anxiety.”

“Oh.”

“Are you anxious, darlin’?”

“A little, yeah,” you admitted quietly.

“Is it the flu shot that’s got you worried?” You nodded. “Okay. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I’d like to finish taking your vitals first.”

Leonard took your wrist in his hand and pressed two fingers firmly over your pulse point. Your brow furrowed.

“I thought you already knew what my heart rate was,” you stated.

“I do,” he confirmed, “But that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m checking the strength of your pulse.” He released your wrist and removed the stethoscope draped around his neck. He placed the bell to your chest and moved it around a couple times before helping you sit up so he could listen again. “Deep breath,” he instructed. “Good. Another one.”

You felt yourself relaxing a bit with each inhale and exhale. _Leonard’s deep, soothing voice probably has something to do with it, too,_ you thought as a light flush colored your cheeks.

“Everything sounds good,” Leonard told you with a smile as he draped the stethoscope around his neck again. “We’ll get that flu shot out of the way, and you’ll be free to go.” You felt a surge of anxiety, but nodded your understanding. “Alright. Hang tight, I’ll be right back.”

As the door clicked shut behind him, you felt your heart accelerate with your mounting anxiety. You tried to distract yourself by reading the posters that adorned the walls, but quickly lost interest. They were the same boring posters you’d seen in every doctor’s office you’d ever visited.

You startled when the door opened a few minutes later, and Leonard’s lips quirked as he tried not to smile at your obvious jumpiness. He set the vial and thin syringe he’d retrieved down on the counter. Once he’d rolled up his sleeves, he pulled a pair of gloves from the nearest box and slipped them on.

“Doin’ okay over there, Y/N?”

You hummed. “You know, you have a much better bedside manner than the other nursing students,” you commented.

Leonard smiled wryly as he inserted the needle into the vial and began drawing up the liquid. “That’s because I’m not a nursing student. I’m a doctor.”

You frowned. “I thought the students were in charge of giving flu shots.”

“They are,” he confirmed as he removed the needle and capped it. “One of the students who signed up for this shift has a make up exam this morning. I’m covering for her.”

“Oh.”

Leonard chuckled as he crossed the room to stand beside you. “You ready to get this over with?” The nod you gave quickly turned into a shake of your head. “Okay, that’s okay. Take your time.”

Traitorous tears filled your eyes. “I’m sorry,” you sniffed as you wiped them away. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, worried he was judging you.

“Y/N,” he said quietly. “Look at me, darlin’.” Slowly, you brought your gaze to his. You were surprised to see nothing but understanding and kindness in his eyes. “You don’t have to apologize. I know this is scary for you, and I’m gonna do what I can to make it easier, okay?”

You nodded and wiped an errant tear from your cheek. “Okay,” you whispered.

“I’m gonna roll your sleeve up first.” His touch was gentle, even through the gloves, and you found yourself relaxing just a bit. “Doin’ okay?” You nodded. “Good. Next, I’m going to clean a spot on your arm,” he told you as he tore open an alcohol wipe. At the touch of the wipe against your arm, you tensed involuntarily. Your anxiety was mounting, and you focused on inhaling and exhaling deeply.

“Okay. Relax your arm for me.” You saw Leonard reach for the syringe behind you in your periphery, and squeezed your eyes shut. “On three.” He didn’t even make it to one before your whole body tensed. “Y/N, sweetheart, it’ll be easier on you if you can stay relaxed.”

“I know,” you mumbled. “I couldn’t help it.” Your anxiety continued to climb to unbearable heights. You desperately wanted to run away, to forget about the promise you’d made to Nyota, to hide in the warmth and safety of your bed. But you couldn’t do any of that, and you couldn’t stop the fear.

“Would you prefer if I didn’t count?” You hesitated for a moment, but nodded. Leonard smiled warmly at you. “I’ll be quick. I promise.”

He picked up the syringe again, and your heart began its erratic beating once again. You looked straight ahead at one of the dull posters, desperate for a distraction.

“Any fun weekend plans?” Leonard asked, as if he’d read your mind.

“Um… I think my roommates and I are going apple picking at the orchard.” Leonard’s thumb was rubbing soothing circles on your shoulder, encouraging you to relax your arm. “We go every year. It’s tradition.”

“That sounds like a good time. Little pinch,” he warned, and you winced at the momentary sting of the needle. “All done,” he told you with a smile as he pressed a bandaid over the small puncture wound. He disposed of the sharp and discarded his gloves. “You did just fine, Y/N.”

It took a moment for you to realize that it was over, that you could finally stop worrying. You glanced over to see Leonard putting a note in your chart. “Thank you, for taking the time to make that easier on me,” you said softly. “No one’s ever done that before.”

Leonard shook his head. “It’s my job to help people. Sometimes, that means taking care of them before I can take care of them.” He smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”

You returned his smile and rolled down your sleeve before hopping down from the table. You were just about to open the door when Leonard stopped you.

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if I could take you out for coffee sometime.” You could see the faintest trace of color in his cheeks while he waited for your answer.

“I’d love that,” you told him sincerely. He relaxed and smiled. A thought struck you, muting your happiness. “Is there a rule against students seeing university employees?”

Leonard inclined his head. “There is… however, I’m not a university employee.”

“Wait, you’re not?” You were confused.

“I work for the hospital in town. Every now and then, we get asked to fill in for a university doctor if they’re short-staffed.” He smiled. “There’s not a conflict of interest. Promise.”

You found yourself beaming while he jotted down his number. Leonard McCoy it read above the string of numbers. His name suited him, you thought.

“Thank you again, Doctor McCoy,” you said warmly. “I’ll call you tonight,” you promised.

He offered you one last smile, one you wanted to commit to memory until you saw him next. “I can’t wait, darlin’.” 

As you stepped into the cold autumn air outside the clinic, you couldn’t help the giggle that rose from your chest. 

You’d never been so excited for coffee.


End file.
